Relationship counsellors support individuals and families with a range of complex personal and relational issues affecting individual and family functioning.

A relationship counsellor’s role may include family violence service delivery including risk assessment, risk management and multi-disciplinary collaborative practice that is aligned with practice requirements, family violence practice guidelines and legal/statutory obligations.

The Graduate Diploma runs for one year over two semesters.

Semester 1 includes structured full-day seminars, once a week for 16 weeks.

Semester 2 involves a work placement, where students are involved in delivering services to clients in a supervised environment, and five placement seminars providing students with the opportunity to present and discuss cases.

Students also undertake self-paced learning via readings, course summary reviews and preparation for assessment tasks.

CHC81015 Course Structure

• One semester of weekly teaching sessions.
• One semester of supervised work placement.

CHC81015 Dates

Intake One 2019

Semester One

• 30 July 2019 to 3 December 2019.
• Mid semester break dates to be confirmed.

Semester Two

• 13 February 2020 to 11 June 2020.
• Mid semester break dates to be confirmed.

Graduation

• 10am to 5pm on 11 June 2020.

RAV makes every effort to keep our course as affordable as possible.

The Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling (Family Violence) (CHC81015) fees are as follows:

• $10,500 (payable by instalment).
• $1,500 placement fee.

A deposit of $1000 is payable upon enrolment. Instalment options are available. Please see the RTO Program Manual for more information about fees.

Semester 1

• Subject 1: Legislation, ethics, codes of conduct, policy and collaborative practice in relationship counselling and domestic and family violence work.
• Subject 2: Domestic and family violence: prevalence, dynamics, characteristics, risk assessment, risk management and protective concerns.
• Subject 3: Relationship counselling theory and practice skills.
• Subject 4: Domestic and family violence practice skills.
• Subject 5: Counselling children, young people and families.
• Subject 6: Separation, family law and child-focused parenting arrangements.

Semester 2

Work placement

• 50 hours supervised by an experienced relationship counselling practitioner.
• Please visit www.training.gov.au for detailed information on the course units.

Units of Competency

The Subjects and Work Placement listed above cover the following units of competency within the course:

• CHCDFV008 Manage responses to domestic and family violence in family work
• CHCDFV013 Manage domestic and family violence screening and risk assessment processes
• CHCDFV010 Promote accountability and assist users of domestic and family violence to accept responsibility
• CHCDFV014 Provide programs to people who have been subjected to domestic and family violence
• CHCDFV002 Provide support to children affected by domestic and family violence
• CHCFCS001 Facilitate the family counselling process
• CHCFCS002 Provide relationship counselling
• CHCFCS003 Provide counselling to children and young people
• CHCFAM001 Operate in a family law environment
• CHCFAM007 Assist clients to develop parenting arrangements
• CHCPRP007 Work within a clinical supervision framework

This course includes a complete practical placement in a functioning centre providing relationship counselling and family violence services. During this placement, students have a chance to work alongside experienced counselling practitioners providing services to clients. The inclusion of this placement in the course means that students do not need to find their own placement, which can be difficult.

Whilst completing this placement, students also attend seminars which allow for sharing of learning experiences and significantly increases the development of skills and knowledge.

We are committed to providing high quality training that leads to a positive student experience at RAV. Feedback is sought from all our students through formal and informal evaluations throughout each course and this informs the ongoing development of our training programs.

Our students consistently provide positive feedback about their experience of training with RAV. Below are some of their comments, shared with their permission.

• "This has been an amazing time of growth. The readings / learnings have been instrumental in the advancement of organisational practice but also in my own reflective capacity – best experience."
• "The trainers were experts in the field and very willing to share their knowledge and encourage participation."
• "Fantastic. Fast paced and interactive. (I) learned a lot of very useful skills."
• "Trainers very experienced and capable, also encouraging - invaluable resources and support."

The Graduate Diploma is delivered by highly experienced and currently-practising relationship counsellors who have worked in a range of organisational, private practice and family violence contexts. Trainers have current training and assessment qualifications and relevant industry experience.

To gain entry into the Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling CHC81015 (with a focus on Family Violence) a candidate must have one of the following:

• an undergraduate degree or higher qualification in counselling, psychology, social work, social science, or equivalent,
• a Diploma of Counselling from the CHC Community Services Training Package or equivalent, or
• ability to provide documented evidence of previous experience in a family counselling environment in a job role involving:
  - self-directed application of knowledge with substantial depth in some areas
  - exercise of independent judgement and decision-making
  - a range of technical and other skills.

Upon request and where applicable, candidates may request a credit transfer and/or Recognition of Prior Learning process. Please refer to the RTO Program Manual for more information.

All applicants will be interviewed as part of the selection process.

From 1 January 2015, students undertaking nationally accredited training with RAV (i.e. enrolling into VET courses) will need to set up a Unique Student Identifier (USI) and provide this to Administration via email. RAV is required to record and verify a USI for each student.

More information is on the USI website and the links below can assist you to apply:

• Unique Student Identifier - Students
• Students and the USI -  A factsheet for students
• Privacy and the Unique Student Identifier
• USI Privacy Policy

RAV is an RTO (registration code 21977), providing nationally-recognised courses.

Recognition enables students to have their existing skills and knowledge relating to the Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling CHC81015 (with a focus on Family Violence) acknowledged and status granted where appropriate. This is available for people with extensive and relevant experience in counselling or family and domestic violence.

To apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), you will need to provide evidence of the competencies needed for the Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling (Family Violence) (CHC81015) by completing the RPL Application and Assessment Form, which is available on request from the RAV Training Team on (03) 8573 2277 or via email. Please also refer to the RTO Program Manual.